Track link for tractors



J. s] MATTESON TRACK LINK FoKTRAcToRs Filed Jan. s, 1%;2

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IN VEN TOR.

.3 .1 if. S., Maiteson BY@ l.

ATTORNEY features are anendless chain or link mem-4 tace JEROME S. MAT'IESON, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

TRACK LINK ron rnaorons.

Application IedJanuaiy 3, 1922i lSerial No. 526,592.

Tractors; vand I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to' the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in'exlble track construction such as 1s rused on tractors supported on an endless ground bearing structure instead of directly by the wheels. l.

In thisA type 'of structure, the essential ber, engaged by some `form of sprocket :'wheel, and therelatively broad groundbearing shoes carried by individual links.

` Ina good' many claims for this purpose, the links are hollow,4 and the teeth of .the`

driving sprocketwheel enter the links between the sides thereof. Since the links are.

frequently submerged' in mud during operation, the hollow spacesbecome filled, and when the teeth engage the links with their driving pressure, some of this mud-is bound to be pressed against `thelink rollers in a. hard mass, resulting in rap'id abrasion ofl the co-operating parts andfrequent'breakage due to theunyielding effect of the caked mud, clay and the like.

The principal object 'of my invention is to provide a tracklink structure in which the teeth or lugs on a special form of sprocket or driving wheel to be used therewith.

A further object is to' provide a chain link structure which, in co-nnection with the driving sprocket and idler supporting rollers, will be positively held from side-sway-4 jing or any lateral movement, so that thereis no tendency for the driving teeth to grinc against the sides ofthe links and-have to thus force them into proper alinement.

Another object is to provide 'a chain link and ground bearing shoe comb1nat1oncon sisting of the least possible number of separate'parts, and" adapted to be sci-connected together that no axial pins or bolts of any character are used to hold the male and female link members together. furtherfobject of the inventionis to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet oney which will be exceedinglyeflective for the .purposesfor which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

- In they drawings similar. characters of refkerence indicate Vcorresponding parts in the several views.

Fig; lis aside viewof aportion of my improved track structure, shown in connection with the driving wheel and idler rollers. Fig. Qis van enlarged detachedside view of ka connected numberV of links.

Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the same.

Fig-41L is a crosssection taken on aline 'Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, my track link and shoe structure comprises essentially the inner link members l, outer links 2, and the ground bearing shoes 3 extendingtransversely of the latter and 'connected thereto. The inner links may be considered as solid bars, eachconsistingpof a flat-sided portion 4,'rounded. at the ends and provided with bored holes 5 positioned axially of the curved ends.

From a line set in somewhat from the outer/face of the portion 4, so as to leave a ledge 6 on each side thereof, the sides of the link slopeout-wardly and toward each to the outer edge of thelink to form a tapered ridge 7 all around, the outer edge face of this ridge being parallel with`that of the portion ily throughout.

'- Each outer link structure 2 consists of a pair ofsymmetrical and equal sized plate members, extending on both sides of-a pair of adjacent inner links to a vpoint midway of the length of such links, the latter being spaced apart somewhat. A

.Each outerv link 'member is a solid and substantially rectangular plate, having a flange 8 .project-ing outwardly therefrom r along the inner edge thereof, byv inner meaning Athat edge which Alies nearest the wheels'and rollers over which the track v'structure travels. The edge .face of this flange is in alinement with the correspond:s

ing ledge surfaces 6 of the inner links when the latter lie in straight valinenient with the outer links, while the opposite edge is in alinement with the outer edge of the taper portions 7.

Projecting outwardly of the linleplate's 2 adjacent the outer ends thereof are pads 9, adapted to rest on the transversely disposed shoes 3 and to be fixed thereto by rivets or bolts 10.k

The ends of the members 2 are at right angles to the outer longitudinal edges thereof for the greater portion Lof their height, and are then cut away adjacent the inner edges of said members as,y shown 'at 11 while the pads 9 have reinforcing Yribs 12 in transverse alinement withr'said right-angled end portions. The outer links kare adapted to abut one against the' other when in straightl alineinent, .so that by means of the above described vdesign of the parts the links cannot buckle inwardly, the ribs helping` to withstand any .suchtendencyrwhile at the saine time the cutaway portions allow the necessary bending of the link structure when passing 'about the drivingwheel Each plate 2 has a pair of inwardly projecting bossesv 13 adapted'to projecthalf way through the bores 5 of the inner links, the corresponding bosses on both plates 2 abutting lagainst each other when in position so that there will bel no binding between the adjacent flat surfaces of the outer and inner links. i h I Formed with each plate and projecting from the flangedV edge 8 between the. adjacent ends of a pair of inner links is aI ridge member 14, terminating on a line withthe edge of the portion 7 of the inner links; both such members on a corresponding pair of the outer link plates'. being recessed to receive the ends of the ridges 7 and abutting closely against each other when in position, the cross sectional area of Vsaid members 14 combined being the same as that of the portions 7 of the links n `V Y Positioned centrally of the length ofthe plates 2 and projecting from the outer faces thereof in .transverse alincinent and beyond the 'danges 8 are preferably integral and round bosses 15, which are adapted to be engaged the teeth or liigs 16 formed in spaced relation on the sides of a driving Wheel 17.` This wheelV has Hat. 'facesie in wardly of the lugs', on which ride the inner edge-faces of the flanges 8 and the ledges 6, while between the wheel faces i's a groove 19 of a size and shape to conform to and receive the tapered portions?" and 11i.

Idler rollers 20, 4similarly grooved and faced, support the track stru-etere t ynd the driving 'wheelV and aid heid ng .the

track against a tende-my to' bu'klifg and' i lateral movement.

n wur aetearrera rig. i, niet die lugs 16 are unevenly spaced on the wheel, and are arranged in opposed pairs.

When turning in one direction therefore, alternate ones of the lugs engage alternate ones of the bosses 15, while the intermediate f there is no chance for any slipping inovey ment between the wheel and link structure when the wheel is reversed in its direction of rotation. j j

lt willalso be noted, that the inner links being symmetrically forn'ied on both sides, may be reversed in yposition with resp t to the outer links at any tii'ne,thus` enabling even wearing being had, and the track 'shoiild have a long period, of usefulness without replacement of any parte.

It will further be noted that the bolts which hold the shoes' to the outer links are ampie to hold the outer links together, since the sprocket teeth or lugs not entering between the links, there i's no tendency for the latter to become spread apart.

Also', while l have specified the ridges 7 and 14, and the corresponding wheel-grooves as being wedge-shaped?, they may be rectang'ular, triangular or semicircular incross section. 1

The outer link members, while not reversible, are interchangeable, that is, they are made from a common pattern and are not right and lefthand as usual, 'so that they may be interchanged and placed on either side of the inner link, in the event that wear on' one side is greater than on the other, and it is desired to equalize this wear without placing a new link-plate.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I yhave produced such a device as 'substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

lVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as f defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and useful and desire to se* cure by Letters- Patent, is K 1. A track link structure for tractors including outer and innerlink rneinbers nexibly connected together, and having dat faces along the inner edges thereof, ridge portions disposed intermediate the flat faces and projecting inwardly thereof, and bosses projecting outwardly of the sides of the cuter links. j

2. A track link structure comprising inn aerlnks bored adjacent each and, eater cveriappagg pair of inner links, and bosses formed with the outer link members and projecting into the bores of the inner links, the ends of said bosses abutting against each other, whereby to allow of clearance being positively maintained between the adjacent faces of the links.

3. A track link structure comprising re' t links projecting beyond the edges of the outer links, and symmetrical members on each pair of outer links together forming a ridge equal in cross sectional area to those on the inner links and interposed between adjacent inner links.

4. A track-link structure comprising inner and outer links flexibly connected together, each transverse pair of outer links overlapping the adjacent ends of a pair of inner links, ridges on the inner links projecting beyond the edges of the outer links and a ridge structure equal in cross section to those on the inner links fixed on each transverse pair of outer links and interposed between adjacent inner links j In testimony whereof I alX my signature.

JEROME S. MATTESON. 

